Welcome to Weird Science DC Comics, the DC Comics site for the common man and woman. We're not high falutin, just a bunch of dummies who love comics just like you...we just spend an insane amount of time working on this site for no pay. I told you...dummies! So, sit a spell and read our Reviews, News and Articles and if you are really brave, listen to the Weird Science DC Comics Podcast. We triple dog dare you!

People are always saying Thundarr the Barbarian ripped off Conan the Destroyer and Star
Wars, but I really think it gets most of its pilfered DNA from Jack Kirby’s
Kamandi. The basic premise, I mean.
There are lots of episodes of Thundarr
that directly satirize specific popular media, but the basic idea: a
blond-haired dude wandering across a post-nuclear apocalyptic world full of
mutated humanoids where, surprisingly, many of the 20th century’s
structures and paper materials have remained intact. I almost expect him to hop
on a motorcycle and cruise away! So yeah, I have been looking forward to this Kamandi Challenge experiment, with some
trepidation. Was it founded? Well, you’ll have to read my review to find out.
Right here!

Explain
It!

As most should know, the Kamandi Challenge is a 12-issue comics “jam” where different
creative teams will handle every story and leave them off on cliffhangers for
the next team to unravel. Last we left the Last Boy on Earth, he was held by
the tiger people, vacillating between being kept as a pet and being made to
fight in an arena for their entertainment. It’s because Kamandi told the head
tiger Lord Caesar that his holy totem is, indeed, a nuclear warhead, and
everyone knows that tigers hate blasphemy. Kamandi tries to escape, but he’s
dragged back to the warhead just as it counts down to detonation…when it opens
up to reveal a gorilla soldier dual-wielding some double-barreled pistols! In
another comic book, I’d think this was Two-Face, but it’s not Batman, it’s Kamandi, who takes advantage of the commotion to grab his satchel
of books head off to the Museum of War for a weapon.

At the Museum of War, Kamandi encounters some gigantic
talking crows with human hands stealing some of the items on display—which
include Harley Quinn’s hammer, Green Arrow’s bow, and Superman’s cape. One of
them spies Kamandi is about to eat him, so he fires one of the weapons taken
from the museum and it launches a net that ensnares the crow. As Kamandi takes
off, the crow flings some explosive Batarangs (also pilfered from the museum, I
assume) that knocks a hole in the floor and sends Kamandi fly-falling into the
basement, where he uncovers Metron’s Mobius Chair under a dropcloth! By then,
Prince Tuftan and Dr. Canus have also shown up, and they beg Kamandi not to sit
in the chair, so obviously he does. What, he’s going to listen to his captors
and tormentors now? As the chair lifts off, Tuftan and Canus grab Kamandi’s
ankles, so he in turn grabs their wrists and the trio are sent into a mad
montage of Neal Adams’ DC Comics career.

Kamandi comes to when Dr. Canus dumps some water on
his head, and finds that they’re all stranded far away from the Tiger Empire,
so it’s time to start walking. Now pals with the folks that would have kept him
as a pet, Kamandi pleads his case, explaining that the thing they were
worshipping was a nuclear warhead. Just then, they find themselves before a
severely rusted sign for San Diego—which just happens to be on the edge of the
Wild Human Preserve! Kamandi is excited to find his people and is about to
inform Dr. Canus and Tuftan—but they’ve both been killed by Manhunters! The
ones that go after Green Lanterns, specifically, not the Paul Kirk or any other
human version. They fire upon Kamandi, so he jumps off a cliff overlooking the
Wild Human Preserve, hurtling to his death!

Probably not, though, or issues 3-12 of this series
are going to be boring as heck. This comic is a wild ride and I enjoyed every
crazy moment of it. Who better to preserve the legacy of Jack Kirby than
another member of comics royalty, Neal Adams? He professed his love for the
Fourth World when he did the Coming of
the Supermen, and you can sense it in every panel of this comic book. The
story is as wacky as an episode of Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, with 90% more
mutated monsters and talking animals. I also liked the tie-ins to the DC
Universe and thought their inclusion was handled really well. This book is a
fun time with some dynamic art brought to you by one of comicdom’s grand
masters, so buy with confidence! And pray the actual impending nuclear
apocalypse winds up being this much of a good time.

Bits and
Pieces:

Kamandi continues cruising through post-apocalyptic America, encountering lots of strange beasts and fantastic devices that will probably be familiar to a lot of readers. The artwork and composition by Neal Adams is impeccable, the story is rollicking and energetic, and the whole package is so lively you won't be able to catch your breath. Kamandi gets no respite, and neither should we!

https://dangermart.blog/
-
*Too Dangerous For a Girl* has moved to new premises.
Please head for the Wordpress site at:
https://dangermart.blog

1 month ago

Comics Podcast Network

We Be Geeks Network

Batman Podcast Network

Recent Comments

Rant & Rave Line

Want to be on the Podcast? Have a Rant and/or a Rave? Don't like Eric's Jerk off Voice? I guess that's a rant...call the Rant and Rave Line at (641) 715-3900 and enter extension 452328 to leave a message for the podcast. Don't forget about that pound sign!!!